Solar Eclipse
by Prophecygazer
Summary: This is the story of Blurrypaw. She can't remember what happened to her eyes, but she's been told it's because she stared at a solar eclipse when she was a kit. Join Blurrypaw in her own journey to find out what happened to her eyes, and the real truth about her own family. RATED T FOR BATTLE
1. Chapter 1

Waking up for your fifteenth moon of training isn't exactly the greatest feeling. Also, knowing that you'll be judged and stared at by the whole Clan isn't a very good feeling either. Nor is the idea that your own brother is already a warrior, and you're not. I'm Blurrypaw, a PineClan apprentice, who, unwillingly is admitting that she is mostly blind. Lots of cats think I should be a medicine cat, but Leafstar let that pass. I can still see – but a lot less than most. The medicine cat constantly is calling me in for more celandine treatment in my eyes.

I sighed, rolling over in my moss nest. I was in the back – the least respected. I didn't have many friends – of course that was true. In fact, I had exactly one. My training had been delayed due to my eyesight, and former mentor, Birdflight, rarely teaching me anything and refusing to provide training for me, putting in that he would never train a cat unworthy of being a warrior. I have a new mentor of course. Her name is Rabbitfoot. She's pretty stern with me, getting me up earlier than the other apprentices to train.

"Come on, Blurrypaw, it's time to run on over to the training hollow." I heard Rabbitfoot's voice growl from the entrance. I sighed again, reluctantly calling back that I'd be out as soon as I could.

I noticed the fairly-newer apprentices, Snowpaw, Scarpaw, Shredpaw, and Dogpaw following me. They rarely talked to anyone, only to their mentors, who mostly just dumped them on Rabbitfoot because she was willing to train more than one apprentice. They never talked to me.

I followed them outside. It was leaf-bare, and there was light snow on the ground. I shivered as my paws touched the fallen ice.

"Blurrypaw!" Ravenpaw called. I glanced back, watching my best friend scamper up to me, panting. Ravenpaw wasn't usually this enthusiastic.

"Hey," I mumbled as he began padding along beside me. "Birdflight said I could go along early to the training hollow with you this morning," he began.

Oh, and did I mention that my old mentor was my best friend's mentor? Ravenpaw trailed along behind me as our group followed Rabbitfoot to the sandy hollow that was the training area.

"Alright, so, today we'll be doing something a little different…" Rabbitfoot said in her usual, growly raspy voice. My heart almost leaped out of my chest. _Something different! _Maybe it was training for assessments! I could become a warrior!

"Scrimmage battle," Rabbitfoot continued.  
"Yessssss," I heard Scarpaw and Shredpaw hiss from beside me.

Ravenpaw looked at me hesitantly, then back at Rabbitfoot as she contined, "I will split you up into teams. Scarpaw, Shredpaw, Blurrypaw, Snowpaw, and Treepaw, you'll be on one team."

I glanced at the others hesitantly. They paid no attention to my eyes, only smiling at me in a mischievous way and leading me over to the far side of the den. I shuffled my paws impatiently.

"Quit that, will ya?" Scarpaw hissed at me.

"Sorry," I said, looking down.

"Ravenpaw and I will be on the other team," Rabbitfoot said, grinning at us.

"All right!" Shredpaw exclaimed. "Let's turn these fools into crowfood!"

"Now, Shredpaw, that's no way to treat our newcomer," Rabbitpaw mewed, smiling at Ravenpaw.

"I don't think I want to play anymore," Ravenpaw mouthed to me. I shrugged at him, smiling slightly.

"PineClan attack!" Shredpaw hissed, starting forward before Ravenpaw could even figure out which way was up. We all crashed toward them. I flung myself in the air, collapsing on Ravenpaw and pinning him by his shoulders. He thrashed around, batting my belly until he figured out he could use his claws in the scrimmage battle and raked them lightly across my belly. I hissed and staggered back. There was fire in his eyes now. He leaped toward me, but suddenly, Dogpaw bounded over to him, bowling him over. Her large weight seemed to cripple him, and he went limp. She padded away, thinking she'd won the small battle, but he sprung up, trying to land on her shoulders. Shredpaw flung him out of the way, ending up sprawled on his stomach.

Meanwhile, Rabbitfoot was holding off Treepaw and Scarpaw. But where was Snowpaw? Suddenly, a flash of white, and Snowpaw was there, with a grin on her face. She blocked Ravenpaw from springing up to bring down Dogpaw, who was now pivoting on her paws. Ravenpaw began to look desperate. I launched myself behind him, skidding underneath his belly, though it was hard, because I was fairly bigger than him, and sinking my teeth into his belly. I battered his hind legs, almost sending him backflipping through the air. I laughed, but it wasn't for long. Ravenpaw bowled me over, licking his muzzle.

"Got you!" He whispered breathily. Snowpaw slapped him off of me with one paw, grinning all the while. She reared up and kicked him straight in the face. He fell back, nose dribbling out blood, and called for forfeit.

"I surrender!" He mewed, batting at the blood that was now dripping onto the ground.

Rabbitfoot had nips and scratches covering her throat and flanks, and a long, but not deep belly wound from holding off both Treepaw and Scarpaw. They were pretty battered up, too. We all were. My belly stung, and I shook my head, panting, and realizing that my ear was nicked and blood had spattered onto the ground. We were all silent for a moment, then Shredpaw spoke.

"All right, Blurrypaw!" He panted, and the group erupted in congratulations.

Wait, what was going on? Was I being accepted?

"I think we all need visits to the medicine cat," Rabbitfoot interrupted. My fame was over. We all fell silent again and followed her to the medicine den.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, Blurrypaw, you ready for the dawn patrol?" A prod in my chest sent stinging pains straight to my hardly-healed belly wound from practice the day before. I let out a hiss, opening my eyes and realizing by the color of his pelt that it was Shredpaw, and by the looks of it he was smiling down at me. I flashed a grin back, trying to cover up for my outburst, but he seemed not to notice.

I padded outside, but Shredpaw was already talking to Scarpaw and Snowpaw, who were partnering along with Clawtail and Shellsplash.

_Oh no. _Clawtail was my brother. He, in fact, was not my older-litter brother. We were the same age, though due to my delayed training, everyone thinks he's a lot wiser than I am.

He usually never talks to me, but I'm always uncomfortable around him. I do fear him. I fear him a lot, and he knows it. In fact, I think he _enjoys _it. Shellsplash was some goonie of his that was always following him around. Soon to-be mate most likely. Something about Clawtail irks me.

Maybe his eyes. His glare. I don't know. Moonblossom and Dustfur, our parents, try to bring us together all the time, but I have to politely remind them we aren't kits.

"Hey, there's ol' Blur," Snowpaw called welcomingly. Shredpaw glanced at me and nodded his head, signaling I could come over.

_Just go over there, _I told myself, clearly avoiding my brother's glare. One step, two steps, three steps, four steps, five steps, six steps…

I blinked. Shredpaw smiled at me. My brother was talking to Shellsplash. She was falling over him head over paws! What a ridiculous scene, folding her ears down and batting her tail.

Makes me sick.

"Ready to go?" Shellsplash chirped, flipping her long white fur, her blue eyes glinting dramatically as she looked at Clawtail. I rolled my eyes, and Shredpaw obviously saw my reaction and let out a snort as we started walking. Clawtail, though, was clearly into Shellsplash, padding after her quickly and pressing his pelt against hers.

Shredpaw padded alongside Snowpaw. I was sort of in the back, but anyway, due to my eyesight, I'd be the last one to recognize the horrific scene that lay outside camp.

Crowfoot – one of our own warriors – dead. Just dead, on the ground, right outside of camp, where someone could have seen him! There were no signs of struggle, but everycat just seemed to stand there.

"W-What happened?" Shellsplash managed to stammer out. Shredpaw looked grim, padding over to the fallen warrior. Wait – Crowfoot… He was Ravenpaw's older-litter brother!

"StarClan bless us," I murmured under my breath.

"There are two perfect holes in his neck," Shredpaw mewed solemnly, pulling back the fur that covered the neck wound. No blood, no nothing…

Clawtail glanced at me. I could feel his eyes burning into me, but I refused to return his glare. Eventually, he looked toward Shellsplash, who was letting out squeals of anguish.

"I-I'll go get.. I'll go get someone!" She mewed, looking around frantically before scampering off toward the not-too far-off camp.

Crowfoot was dead alright. Ravenpaw refused to talk to anyone. His parents had died moons before in a dual battle of black cough, which ended up killing off multiple cats in the Clan.

I saw Shellsplash and Clawtail yammering it off, talking excitedly (mostly Shellsplash) and not seeming to care that there was a vigil going on right before their eyes.

"Crowfoot was a g-good tom, he was a good brother, and a good friend," Ravenpaw managed to choke out. It was raining now.

No one seemed to mention that there were signs of murder, not even the medicine cat, Tangerinesun, who was sitting somberly beside the dead body of her good friend. The two remaining elders and Crowfoot's good friends, as well as Ravenpaw, buried the fallen tom where we had found him to begin with – right outside the camp. The Clan was silent. No one had known Crowfoot was out. No one had any idea what happened. Everyone was quiet, the thought of his quick death ringing in their minds.

Well, mostly mine.

No cat had mentioned the signs of murder! I couldn't believe it. Maybe they were just too shocked to even react.

After what seemed like hours of tossing and turning in my nest, I got up, fixated on a walk. I padded toward the entrance.

_Snap! _A twig broke in half on my pawstep. Instant, glaring eyes shot into my pelt. Someone was awake now. I glanced back.

"What are you doing?" Scarpaw hissed at me, dragging his claws over the sandy den floor.

"Going for a walk. I-I can't sleep," I stammered like an idiot, glancing at the long scar on his forehead that gave him his name.

"Hmm. I'm a light sleeper, and you woke me up," he began, and I waited for him to finish, "I might as well go along, too. It's not like I can go straight back to sleep."

I guess I must've looked surprised at his response, because he snorted and leaped up faster than I thought he could, being drowsy, and slipped out of the den. I rushed forward to keep up with his long pawsteps.

"So, you and Shredpaw are really somethin', ain't ya?" He snickered, looking at me.

"W-What?" I mewed, in question. We had hardly talked! What was he thinking?  
"He likes you, you know," he snorted again, with a small yawn.

"Not possible. He likes Snowpaw, right?" I mewed. I had no attraction to Shredpaw whatsoever! What was wrong with toms these days?

"Hmm. Not sure. Because Snowpaw is kinda.. His sister, so…" He trailed off with a sly grin, "and I'm kinda his brother."

"Oh. Right," I looked away in my embarrassment. We reached the forest quickly, weaving in and out of the trees.

"Well, he does like her, but in a different way, you get me?" Scarpaw mewed, flicking his tail. He began to slow down. I didn't reply, I just looked out, enjoying the scenery. It wasn't raining anymore, but the thin trees barely provided protection from stray raindrops. I shook my head every time water sank into my fur, and Scarpaw seemed to laugh at my reaction.

"So, what's your opinion on Shredpaw anyway…?" He trailed on. He seemed awful curious about my opinion on his brother, but I politely answered, "He shows promise," with a somewhat sarcastic tone.

"All right, I'll have to tell him that," he mewed mischievously, scampering back off in the direction of camp.

"Wait!" I called after him, rolling my eyes. The sun was beginning to peak over the mountains. _Better get back, _I thought to myself, following Scarpaw's messy pawsteps back to camp.


	3. Chapter 3

Hushed whispers murmured in the background. I dropped my paws over my ears, grunting in annoyance, complaining that it wasn't even close to dawn.

Then caterwauls – loud yelling. Leafstar… Leafstar and Sunstripe's yelling.

_The Clan is under attack! _I bolted upward, slamming the back of my head on a stone that protected the ceiling. I fell back. Warm blood trickled into my eyes.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid… _I scolded myself, hissing. _There's no time for a medicine cat visit now!_ I looked around the den. Treepaw and I were the only ones lagging behind. I saw Snowpaw's hindquarters disappear through the entrance, screaming a frightening battle cry. I raced out before Treepaw could register that the Clan needed assistance now.

The camp was a mess. Blood spattered the once-peaceful grass that layered the main clearing. I let out a hiss. _LakeClan! _LakeClan was our rival Clan. Our borders were connecting. _They must be here for more territory!_

Not too long after my realization, I heard a familiar voice, "Come help me, Blurrypaw!"

_Ravenpaw. _I raced toward him, or what I thought was him. The shapes of fighting cats were becoming blurs – but I managed to get over to him without tripping. He was fighting off a large LakeClan cat…

_Whitestripe. _There was something I needed to remember about him! He seemed to have the same thought, because he glanced at me thoughtfully. Ravenpaw took this advantage to take his ankle in his jaws and twist, slamming him on the ground. He let out a screech and raced away. I raked my claws across his cheek as he took off blindly.

At that moment, I felt familiar eyes burn into my skull. I looked back. There was Clawtail, staring at me, switching gazes from Whitestripe and I. I was about to respond, but he looked away, bounding off to help Hawkears, another one of his fairly-famous goonies.

I shook my head, the blood from my accident earlier spattering on the ground. The LakeClan cats began to retreat.

"Damn it! I was just about to scrape that one's ears off!" I turned to see Scarpaw hissing at a smaller apprentice. He stuck out his tongue and raced toward his Clan, who was now retreating.

"Yeah, you better run!" Scarpaw yelled after him, but the apprentice heeded no response. He looked down at his paws as he realized he was the only one talking.

Leafstar coughed. I turned my attention toward him as he cleared his throat. Sunstripe, the deputy, padded along beside him, her pelt spattered with the enemy's blood and her moon-white paws covered in various small cuts – probably the work of a few young apprentices.

"LakeClan has attacked PineClan. We do not know the reason, but the Gathering is coming up in two sunrises…" He paused to cough again. "If you have any major injuries, please head on over to Tangerinesun and Maplepaw in the medicine den," he mewed. Sunstripe nodded, beginning to escort the old leader to the medicine den.

"That's that," Dogpaw mewed, sitting down beside me. I must have jumped, because she smirked.

Everycat waited to be treated by the medicine cat and her apprentice. I learned that my head was not damaged; there was just a cut where it had scraped the stone. I took the good news happily, and headed back to my nest. It was good to get in those extra hours of sleep.

I awoke a few hours later to my mentor's usual call. My new friends followed me out. I was now a part of Shredpaw, Scarpaw, Dogpaw, Snowpaw, and Treepaw's group. Shredpaw, Scarpaw, and Snowpaw were siblings, while Dogpaw and Treepaw were as well. I was… well – just their friend.

It was nice to have someone respect you though.


	4. Chapter 4

_So many things had been happening over a past few days! _I carried the pile of fresh-kill recently caught by yours truly in my jaws and under my chin. Today had been a good hunting day. I was normally a borderline, average hunter, capable of the average mouse and whatnot. But surprisingly, on this leaf-bare day, all the warriors sent out on the dawn patrol caught extra that usual. Sunstripe had told us to take a few extra fresh-kill to the elders and the queens, so it looked like not many of us would be getting our own fill. Leafstar was in sick with some cold. I wasn't all that worried. He was absent a lot. I started to wonder why the former leader chose him at all when something caught my attention. Crowfoot's grave looked stirred, like cats had practically stomped on the dirt. I got up closer to get a better look.

I could just imagine the creep in the camp that killed him. I shivered, suddenly feeling a cold breeze ruffle my pelt.

_That murderer could be right under our paws, and we don't even know it! _I shook the thought out of my head, smoothing the dirt over the grave before retreating into the camp.

"Did you see how he looked laying outside our camp?" A familiar voice, then a snicker.

"His throat was totally ravaged, ha. They didn't even notice!"

I turned around to see Clawtail talking to Hawkears. They didn't seem to notice me.

I shook my head. _I knew there was something wrong with him._

I dropped a few pieces of kill on the pile, but then my mind reeled. _Ravaged? There were only two holes in his neck. What?_ I looked back, shocked, toward the direction of my brother and one of his followers. They were gone.

"I'm hearing things. I'm delusional. I just passed Crowfoot's grave, and it got me thinking…" I murmured to myself.

"Who ya talkin' to?" Scarpaw's voice startled me. I dropped the two voles and the seven mice I had held securely under my chin, turning around. Scarpaw smirked. I saw Shredpaw, Treepaw, and Snowpaw beside him and I smiled.

"No one. Haha, I guess myself. I've been a little… skittish lately," I said, "just taking this extra fresh-kill to the queens and elders."

"Yeah, we've noticed. Whenever we try to talk to you, you always jump," Scarpaw snickered.

You're such a goody two-paws, Blur," Shredpaw mewed, drawing his tongue over his paw and swiping his ear with a smile, "everycat else is sharing tongues. Come on, it's sunnin' time. We're the ones workin' our backsides off, we should get time off."

I nodded. "You have a point, but I really gotta get this to them," I glanced to my side. The dens were not that far, just halfway across camp, "I'll hurry, really." I didn't want to disappoint them…

"Alright, fine, but you come right back here," Treepaw mewed, smiling at me. I nodded quickly, feeling myself flush under my pelt. I scampered off to the nursery.

Padding in, the smell of milk hit my nose. _Wait… I remember something._

**The nursery. I was a kit, smaller than my brother. Wait, I could see pretty well… Oh, this may be before my accident… **

** Clawkit was playing with Hawkkit, swatting and ducking, play-fighting.**

** But then, Clawkit slammed Hawkkit to the ground, sinking his small teeth into Hawkkit's fur around his throat. Hawkkit exclaimed, but there was no wound located on his neck. I smiled at Clawkit, naturally, thinking he was the best.**

** But then blood started dribbling out of Hawkkit's neck. A screech, racing paws, then…**

"Blurrypaw!" Gingerfur, a queen, snapped me to my wits. I was standing, swaying, in the entrance of the den.

"Are you okay?" Another queen, Flowerblossom, interjected with concern.

"I-I'm fine," I responded, "just here to bring fresh-kill!" I glanced at Flowerblossom and Gingerfur's kits. They all looked healthy and plump, unusual for the near end of leaf-bare. Our third queen, Duckwing, crouched in the corner, taking a heavy nap. Her large belly flopped over her nest. I almost cringed.

_I don't know if I ever want to have kits._

I handed out the fresh-kill to the queens, and laid a vole beside the sleeping Duckwing, and headed out with the extra mouse back over to my friends.

"Hi," I panted.

"Well, that certainly took pretty long," Dogpaw mewed, padding over to the group with a rabbit in her jaws. Obviously from the moor on the back part of our territory. You had to be fast to catch those.

"Hey, she did alright," Treepaw responded with a shrug. She yawned. Shredpaw and Scarpaw were sharing a mouse together, seeming not to notice my arrival.

Only then did I notice that today was the only time Treepaw had talked to me. I smiled at her. She seemed to look surprised for a moment, but her shocked expression turned into a soft smile. I sat down next to Shredpaw.

"So, I'm back," I said quietly in his ear. He swiveled his head around quickly, eyes wide, but his gaze lowered. "Hi," he said.

"Blurrypaw!" Scarpaw said, gesturing his paws in an exaggerated way, "glad you're back."

I smiled at him, beginning to listen to Snowpaw telling about some story her father told her to keep her out of trouble. I kind of began to zone out.

_I wonder what my flashback could have meant. How could Hawkkit bleed? Clawkit's teeth weren't fully developed yet. _I tried to relive the flashback, in hopes of calling back more of my memory.

"Odd," I whispered.

"What?" Shredpaw asked. All their attention was focused on me. I must have said it louder than intended.

"So anyway…" Snowpaw added on to her story when they all accepted I hadn't meant to butt in.

_That had to be real. Unless it was a dream._


End file.
